The SR-22 filing itself is cheap. NerdWallet’s SR-22 guide puts the fee at “around $25, depending on your state.” The real expense is the violation behind it, and it varies sharply by state: in the same publisher’s January 2024 rate data, minimum coverage after a DUI runs from about $1,000 per year in Ohio to about $1,906 in Louisiana across the seven states in this comparison. The certificate is paperwork. The record is the price.
If you need an SR-22, you are probably not having a great month. Your license may be suspended, you need to drive to work, and every article quotes a different terrifying number. Most of those numbers price full coverage for a hypothetical driver rather than the state-minimum liability policy you are actually shopping for.
If a DUI triggered your requirement, the car insurance after a DUI guide pairs well with this one.
Key Takeaways
The filing fee is around $25 depending on your state, per NerdWallet. The violation behind it is what raises your premium.
Minimum coverage after a DUI runs from about $1,000 per year (Ohio) to about $1,906 (Louisiana) in NerdWallet’s January 2024 rate data.
An SR-22 attaches to liability coverage, and the required minimum differs by state, from 15/30/25 in Louisiana to 30/60/25 in Texas.
Texas requires two years from conviction. Most states run about three. In Florida, a DUI requires an FR-44 at 100/300/50 instead.
Your insurer files the certificate; you never file it yourself. Timelines vary by insurer and by state.
Do not drive while your license is suspended. Wait for the state to confirm your reinstatement.
How Much Is SR-22 Insurance Per Month?
No publisher prints one. The benchmarks below are annual averages modeling a hypothetical 35-year-old driver, while an SR-22 case is by definition individual: the offense, its date, your history, and your ZIP code all move the number. Anyone quoting you a precise monthly SR-22 price without running your details is estimating, including us.
What Does SR-22 Insurance Cost in Each State?
Here is the published picture: each state’s compulsory limits, the average annual premium after a DUI at each coverage tier, and the duration rule.
State | Minimum liability limits | Minimum coverage after DUI (per year) | Full coverage after DUI (per year) | Duration note |
Texas | 30/60/25 | $1,538 | $4,941 | 2 years from conviction (Texas DPS) |
Louisiana | 15/30/25 | $1,906 | $5,170 | About 3 years is typical; confirm with the state |
Georgia | 25/50/25 | $1,464 | $3,694 | About 3 years is typical; confirm with the state |
Florida | 10/20/10 | $1,327 | $5,586 | A DUI requires an FR-44 rather than an SR-22; 3 years (FLHSMV) |
Alabama | 25/50/25 | $1,112 | $3,927 | About 3 years is typical; confirm with the state |
Ohio | 25/50/25 | $1,000 | $2,949 | Confirm with the Ohio BMV; varies by suspension type |
Nevada | 25/50/20 | $1,756 | $4,660 | 3 years if coverage lapsed 91 days or more (Nevada DMV) |
Limits are from the Insurance Information Institute, written as bodily injury per person / per accident/property damage, in thousands. Texas also requires PIP; Florida requires PIP and does not compel bodily injury liability. Premiums are NerdWallet’s January 2024 rate data for a hypothetical 35-year-old driver: published third-party benchmarks, not GoAuto rating factors, and subject to change.
Read the table the way an insurer would. The minimum coverage column is what a price-focused driver actually buys; the full coverage column is what the alarming headlines quote. The gap between them is the biggest cost decision an SR-22 driver controls. These are 2024 premium figures: treat them as dated benchmarks rather than today’s quote.
What Liability Limits Does an SR-22 Have to Meet?
An SR-22 is not a policy. It is a certificate your insurer files to prove you carry at least your state’s required liability coverage, so the limits column above sets your floor. The spread is wide: Louisiana compels 15/30/25, Texas 30/60/25.
Two honest cautions about buying that minimum. It pays for the other side’s injuries and property when a crash is your fault; it does not repair your own car. And if your vehicle is financed, your lender will almost always require comprehensive and collision anyway. State-minimum liability is the lowest coverage level the law allows, which makes it the least expensive way to satisfy an SR-22, but legal and enough are not the same thing.
How Is an SR-22 Filed?
You do not file it. Your insurer does. As NerdWallet’s SR-22 guide puts it, “your insurer is responsible for filing an SR22 form for you,” and once your coverage is in place, the insurer files the form with your state’s traffic authorities. How long that takes varies by insurer and by state, so ask what applies in your case.
The other half of the mechanism matters just as much: your insurer must also tell the state if the policy cancels or lapses. The Nevada DMV says your insurance company “will notify us immediately if you drop the coverage,” and that failing to maintain the SR-22 can mean suspension of your license and the registrations of every vehicle in your name. Texas DPS warns that a lapse can trigger enforcement actions and reinstatement fees.
One point outranks everything else in this article: do not drive while your license is suspended. A filing is not a reinstatement. Wait until your state confirms your driving privileges are restored, because driving on a suspended license is a separate offense that can extend your suspension, lengthen the filing period, and in some states carry jail time.
Does Florida Use an SR-22 or an FR-44?
Both, for different offenses. A DUI conviction in Florida requires an FR-44 rather than an SR-22. Per the Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles department, a driver convicted of DUI must carry bodily injury liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident plus $50,000 of property damage liability, written as 100/300/50, for three years. Florida’s SR-22 covers non-alcohol cases, such as driving uninsured at the time of a crash or a points suspension.
Set that against the table and the impact is obvious. Florida’s ordinary minimum is $10,000 in personal injury protection and $10,000 in property damage, with no bodily injury liability requirement at all, so an FR-44 adds bodily injury liability of 100/300 and raises the property damage requirement fivefold, to $50,000. That jump, rather than the filing fee, is why Florida’s post-DUI full coverage average ($5,586) is the highest in the table. Florida and Virginia are the only FR-44 states. If a court or the FLHSMV has told you which form you need, that instruction governs.
Why Is SR-22 Insurance So Expensive?
Mostly, it is not the SR-22 that is expensive. What costs money is insuring a driver whose driving record now includes a DUI, an uninsured crash, or a serious violation. Nationally, NerdWallet’s July 2026 analysis puts minimum coverage at $1,248 per year after a DUI against $646 for a driver with a clean record. Standard carriers treat a serious violation as an exception to be surcharged or declined; nonstandard carriers price those records as routine business. That difference in appetite, more than any discount, is why quotes for the same driver land hundreds of dollars apart.
How Long Do You Need an SR-22?
About three years in most states, per NerdWallet’s SR-22 guide, but your state sets the clock and the states differ. Texas requires two years from the most recent conviction, or from the date a judgment was rendered against you after a crash, per the Texas Department of Public Safety. Nevada requires three years where coverage lapsed for 91 days or more, per the Nevada DMV. Ohio drivers should confirm with the Ohio BMV, because it varies by suspension type.
The rule that matters most: do not let the policy lapse while the requirement is active, because a lapse can restart the clock or trigger a fresh suspension. One detail that catches people out: NerdWallet notes the SR-22 does not automatically come off your policy when the period ends, so you need to tell your insurer to remove it. Confirm your dates with your state DMV.
How Can You Pay Less for SR-22 Insurance?
Match the coverage to the car. If your vehicle is paid off, state-minimum liability is the biggest saving available. If it is financed, this lever is not available to you.
Quote a nonstandard carrier alongside the standard ones. For a nonstandard insurer an SR-22 case is ordinary business rather than an exception.
Ask about the payment schedule as well as the monthly figure. What you pay up front, and how the balance is spread, vary by insurer, state, and situation.
Re-shop as the violation ages. The rate effect of a record fades if you keep it clean, and auto-renewing locks in the worst year’s price. If you have questions about your own policy, contact GoAuto to check the details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an SR-22 a one-time payment?
The filing fee, around $25 depending on your state, is typically charged once per filing. The policy behind it is ongoing, billed monthly or by term like any other. If your policy cancels and a new filing becomes necessary, a new fee can apply, which is one more reason to keep coverage continuous.
Can any driver get SR-22 insurance?
Not every insurer handles SR-22 filings, and eligibility is never automatic. Nonstandard carriers quote SR-22 cases routinely, but underwriting still applies and an insurer can decline or surcharge based on your record and your state. The reliable way to find out where you stand is to get a quote.
Does an SR-22 affect your credit score?
No. An SR-22 is a state insurance filing, not a credit event. It does not appear on your credit report and is not reported to the credit bureaus. Insurers in most states do use a credit-based insurance score when pricing a policy, but that is separate from the filing itself.
Do you need a car to get an SR-22?
No. If you need to reinstate your license but do not own a vehicle, a non-owner SR-22 policy provides liability coverage while you drive borrowed or rented cars and satisfies the filing requirement. It generally prices below an owner policy because there is no vehicle to insure, though availability varies by state and insurer.
What happens if your SR-22 lapses?
Your insurer is required to notify the state, and the state can suspend your license again and in some cases restart the filing period. The Nevada DMV says it will suspend your driver license and the registrations of all vehicles in your name. If money is tight, dropping to state-minimum coverage is a far better move than letting the policy lapse.
What the SR-22 Numbers Mean for You
The certificate is the cheap part. The record behind it is what you are really paying for, the coverage tier you choose is your biggest lever, and your state sets the duration. Published benchmarks show what the market looks like, but none price your record or your ZIP code. Comparing real quotes at identical coverage levels is the only way to find your number.
About GoAuto
GoAuto Insurance writes auto coverage in Texas, Louisiana, Georgia, Florida, Nevada, Ohio, Alabama, and Tennessee, and works with drivers who need an SR-22. GoAuto focuses on state-minimum liability coverage, the lowest coverage level the law allows, and can handle an SR-22 filing when a state requires one. Down-payment and payment options vary by state and situation. Eligibility, coverage, and pricing depend on your state and your individual circumstances, so to see what applies to you, get a quote.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, or insurance advice. Coverage, pricing, eligibility, filing timelines, and SR-22 or state-minimum requirements vary by state and by driver. GoAuto Insurance is available in TX, LA, GA, FL, NV, OH, AL, and TN. Confirm requirements with your state DMV and get a quote for terms specific to you.
Sources
- NerdWallet, SR-22 Insurance: What It Is and How Much It Costs (January 2024 rate data; filing fee, duration, per-state after-DUI premiums)
- NerdWallet, Average Car Insurance Costs (July 2026 analysis; national minimum coverage and after-DUI figures)
- Insurance Information Institute, What Determines the Price of My Auto Insurance Policy
- Texas Department of Public Safety, Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate (SR-22)
- Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, DUI Frequently Asked Questions (FR-44 at 100/300/50 for three years)
- Nevada DMV, Insurance Requirements (three-year SR-22 requirement, insurer notification, suspension consequences)
- Insurance Information Institute, Background on: Compulsory Auto/Uninsured Motorists (Automobile Financial Responsibility Limits by State table)
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